Mobile phone footage captures the moment a reusable rocket prototype explodes
mid-flight after suffering an anomaly which triggered its self destruct
system

A Space Exploration Technologies' Falcon 9 rocket suffered an anomaly shortly after launch on Friday, triggering its automatic termination system, the company said in a statement.

SpaceX, which was founded by former PayPal owner Elon Musk, are developing a new generation of reusable rockets that can launch, fly and land, in order to cut down on the expense of commercial space travel.

US spaceagency Nasa have been without reusable spacecraft since their shuttle fleet was formally retired in 2012.